New Sharpmaker- Comments and Questions

[Navin Johnson]

Soft cleanser or powdered Bar Keepers Friend?

Thanks

[blues]

Soft cleanser or powdered Bar Keepers Friend?

Thanks

I've only ever used powdered, but I was unaware of the other version, truthfully.

[Totem Polar]

@blues, thanks for the video education. Quick Q: I have and original, late 80s (imagine that, me with 80s kit) sharpmaker with the single setting—which is 40 degrees, IIRC. This stuff is like higher math to this musician: how much of a disadvantage am I at with only the 40 degree setting?

Appreciate it, buddy, it’s an “I don’t know what I don’t know” thing on my end.

[blues]

@blues, thanks for the video education. Quick Q: I have and original, late 80s (imagine that, me with 80s kit) sharpmaker with the single setting—which is 40 degrees, IIRC. This stuff is like higher math to this musician: how much of a disadvantage am I at with only the 40 degree setting?

Appreciate it, buddy, it’s an “I don’t know what I don’t know” thing on my end.

I have one of the 90's vintage with only the 20 dps (degree per side) setting, (40 degrees included angle), and purchased one with dual slots some years later when available.

It really depends on what kind of bevels you have on the knife...since one primarily uses the Sharpmaker to closely match the existing bevel, as opposed to reprofiling. (It's not the world's best hone for removing a lot of steel if the edge is more obtuse than desired.)

I mostly use the 20 degree slots for a quick touch-up or a micro-bevel on a knife that is otherwise sharp but may have a burr or an anomaly along the edge that can be easily dealt with.

So, I don't think you "need" one unless you have a variety of knives with varying bevel angles...from thicker to thinner. If you are comfortable freehanding the blade to put on a coarse or rough edge, the twenty degree slot is a nice way of finishing or leaving that micro-bevel.

Tell me what you have and use for sharpening, and I'll be in a better position to recommend something for you...if interested.

[JCS]

@blues, thanks for the video education. Quick Q: I have and original, late 80s (imagine that, me with 80s kit) sharpmaker with the single setting—which is 40 degrees, IIRC. This stuff is like higher math to this musician: how much of a disadvantage am I at with only the 40 degree setting?

Appreciate it, buddy, it’s an “I don’t know what I don’t know” thing on my end.

Very little disadvantage if any IMO. I don’t ever use the 30 degree setting it’s really made for reprofiling and that job is better done using something else.

[Totem Polar]

Tell me what you have and use for sharpening, and I'll be in a better position to recommend something for you...if interested.

Hell yeah, I’m interested. I never turn down free education.

I hope you’re sitting down. My sharpening arsenal consists of:

1. Original recipe sharpmaker
2. Even older, possibly late 70s, Schrade “honesteel.”
3. A cupboard filled with ceramic cups.
4. The industrial saw place on the way to the range
5. A pile of small USPS postage boxes to send stuff back to the maker.

Have I given you Forrest Whittaker eye yet? Now you know why I play classical music and like revolvers. I do have indoor plumbing though; I’m not a complete luddite.

[blues]

Hell yeah, I’m interested. I never turn down free education.

I hope you’re sitting down. My sharpening arsenal consists of:

1. Original recipe sharpmaker
2. Even older, possibly late 70s, Schrade “honesteel.”
3. A cupboard filled with ceramic cups.
4. The industrial saw place on the way to the range
5. A pile of small USPS postage boxes to send stuff back to the maker.

Have I given you Forrest Whittaker eye yet? Now you know why I play classical music and like revolvers. I do have indoor plumbing though; I’m not a complete luddite.

Ha, ha. Nope...just a smile. (Which is a gift these days.)

So, bottom line is you don't have a coarse hone to work a dull knife with, or to reprofile.

For simplicity's sake I'd recommend a diamond hone if you are willing to put in a little time and effort on your freehanding skills. The payoff is that you don't have to be perfectly accurate because when you're finished on the diamond hone, a few licks on the Sharpmaker will finish your edge both in terms of refinement and setting the bevels to roughly the same angle. (As long as your freehand angle is at or lower than the 20 degrees per side, which is easy to accomplish.)

Gimme a couple minutes and I'll provide a link to something that shouldn't be too costly.

(Norton Crystolon and India are also alternatives, but they are oil stones and the diamond will work with anything without the mess.)

[blues]

Okay...you could do a lot worse than this double sided diamond hone which comes with a good base to hold the "stone".

The coarse side will make relatively short work of most of your sharpening needs, allowing you to set your bevels. The fine side will allow refinement if you want it, though "coarse" edges are in vogue again. But it gives you the option of finishing with a fine diamond finish or finishing on the ceramic...or on the coarse diamond which is good enough for most applications, in truth.

Price is right, too.

[Totem Polar]

Okay...you could do a lot worse than this double sided diamond hone which comes with a good base to hold the "stone".

Done. I’ve learned how to take “yes” for answer.

Thanks for the e-advice, E-dog, much appreciated.

[blues]

Done. I’ve learned how to take “yes” for answer.

Thanks for the e-advice, E-dog, much appreciated.

Cool. I think it will serve you well. And it's my pleasure, brother.

When you get it, we can discuss the finer points of putting on an edge you'll be satisfied with.

Or before then, for that matter. It's not like we're allowed to go outside.